International Business Machines Corporation

I-Hsing Tsao

Ricky Lee Poston

Stephen Gray Stair

Christopher Robbins Nielsen

Scott Harlan Isensee

Rick Lee Poston

Richard Edmond Berry

Joel Gerard Goodwin

A computer controlled user interactive display system having the customary provision of user access to the files stored therein through the display of a plurality of interactive objects which may be icons or even text representing the files usually in an arrangement of hierarchical screens. In addition, the system has means for displaying a set of high interactivity objects separate from the display of the plurality of objects. This set of high activity objects is developed through means for monitoring user interactivity with respect to basic plurality of interactive objects and means responsive to the monitoring means for selecting a set of high interactivity objects having user interactivity greater than selected levels. The system further includes means for displaying the set of high interactivity objects responsive to any file request so that the high interactivity objects are immediately displayed in response to any file request.

File manager system providing faster and more efficient interactive user access to files in computer displays

A data processor controlled user interactive display system for displaying hypertext documents, each including a sequence of display screen pages received over a communications network such as the World Wide Web. Each of the pages contains a plurality of hotspots responsive to user interactive pointing means to display a linked document. The system provides display pages in alternate versions wherein only the hotspots on the page are displayed. It includes means for selecting said alternate version for display and means, responsive to said means for selecting, for transmitting said alternate version containing hotspots only to a receiving display station. The selection of the alternate version is made through a browser at the receiving display station and carried out by the network server which fetches said documents from said network and transmits said fetched documents to said receiving station and has said means for providing said display page in said alternate version having hotspots only and said means, responsive to said means for selecting, for transmitting said alternate version.

Hotspots only interfaces to links in hypertext document pages in network display stations

A key assembly includes a cover disposed over a transducer which is connected to a key acutator/interface disposed between the key transducer and a CPU. A tactile signal generator generates control signals from the CPU to activate the actuator/interface. The actuator/interface provides a signal appropriate to the particular transducer causing it to produce tactile feedback response to the key cover and user's touch. The key assembly may include a larger key cover disposed over a plurality of key transducers whereby the CPU causes texture and fine detail sensations variable over the key cover area by selective, variable actuation of the transducers. The end-user may thereby sense by physical contact with the large key cover electronically generated sensations of irregular surfaces or textures. Tactile profiles either user-specified or automatically invoked by a corresponding application vary the keyboard touch and feel as defined by the selected profile.

Tactile feedback keyboard

A data processor controlled user interactive display system for displaying hypertext documents, each including a sequence of display screen paces received over a communications network such as the World Wide Web with each display page including a sequence of accompanying displayable image and media files in which means are provided for markedly reducing downloading time by providing user interactive means for preselecting document file types not to be transmitted to a receiving display station, user interactive means for preselecting document file types to be transmitted to said receiving display station and means for permitting the transmission of only the file types preselected to be transmitted.

Selective downloading of file types contained in hypertext documents

The present invention is a system and method for finding information of interest within a particular Web page. A user creates an interest profile, which is stored with the user's browser. An interest profile may be as simple as a list of key words, or may be more complex, including data such as relative importance weights and boolean expressions. Once an interest profile is created, it may be used on any Web page to sort the information on the page according to the user s interests. Information may be sorted by line, paragraph, section, or any other defined scope. Once sorted, the information is displayed to the user as a series of links to the actual points of interest within the original page.

System and method for displaying the contents of a web page based on a

The present invention is a system, method, and computer readable medium for controlling the downloading and display of animated sequences from a server to a client. A user chooses which, if any, animated sequences to view on a Web page. Before downloading a graphics file associated with a particular Web page, the server checks the file to determine if it contains any animated sequences. If the graphics file contains an animated sequence, the server only downloads the first graphic image of the animated sequence. This first graphic image is presented as a static image to the user. By only downloading the first graphic image, download time is reduced and less memory and disk space is used in the client. The user views the static image presented on the screen, and then determines if he wishes to view the entire animated sequence. If so, the user indicates that he wishes to view the entire animated sequence. The server then downloads and executes the entire graphics file, allowing the user to view the entire animated sequence.

System and method for controlling the downloading and display of an

A method of accessing electronic information, by loading an original document onto a data processing system, selecting a link embedded in the original document (wherein the link is associated with a linked document), and creating a new document by merging the linked document with the original document. Other new documents can similarly be created by merging additional linked documents with the earlier new documents in response to the further selection of other links embedded in the new documents. The original document and one or more linked documents can thus be displayed as a single, unitary file, as well as being printed as a single document. The linked document can be merged with the original document in a variety of manners. The invention is particularly useful in accessing hypertext pages on the World Wide Web of the Internet.

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

I-Hsing Tsao